Ethan and Addison...

Ethan and Addison were just looking over my last blog post and felt "a little left out" you could say. My kids have always, no matter how old they've become, kept up with each other with such things as counting gifts, counting how many pieces of artwork made in elementary school per each child were pasted to the refrigerator, number of pictures displayed in a new frame of each of them in the house, and the like. They love each other dearly but for some reason enjoy keeping tag on my favoritism, or lack thereof that I try to show. They mean well but it has become quite a game and a way I guess to keep Mom here on her toes. So, the purpose of this post -- to make sure they feel included in the "2009 - year of mine" post. So here goes, kiddos...

2009 was an exceptional year in the lives of Ethan and Addison! Addison graduated from high school in May and was accepted in the colleges she applied for and has decided to attend Midlands Technical College - Airport Campus to study Health Sciences, hoping to be accepted into either the nursing program or dental hygiene program, preferably nursing. She currently serves at Ward Chorister and Young Singe Adult Representative in our ward - and does a great job! She also substitutes in the Primary as a teacher as needed. She worked for Sonic earlier in the year before graduation (best personality for drive through - everyone loved her!) and now she works a couple days a week at Everyday Gourmet.

Ethan also had a great year. He attended Francis Marion University the first half of this year studying Graphic Art. He is a very talented artist and can draw anything! He's pretty amazing with that talent! He also worked this year as a server at Red Bone Alley making many friends there and enjoying his work. Cooking is another talent / hobby he enjoys and it's great when he comes home to visit and makes dinner for us. (His Eggplant Parmesian is my favorite - DELICIOUS!) During the Christmas holidays he also worked part-time at Best Buy both in the store and doing home electronic installations. With his talent also he does some work for Imperial Ink Tatoo Studio in Florence, something I am not happy about but something he chooses to do right now. He spends alot of time with our grandpuppy, Amsterdam, and to watch the two of them together is so entertaining! Ethan is such a kind and gentle person and I'm so thankful he is my son.

They are both GREAT kids, I can't believe they are 21 and almost 19 already -- where did the time go?! There is a joke amongst them, especially the older two (Erika and Ethan) against Addison when they joke about "the time when there were only four stockings hanging on the mantle" referring to before Addison was born. They laugh and tease and joke so much sometimes having me almost believe they're a little jealous of each other but the bottom line is that they love each other to pieces and would go to any length of heaven and earth to help or save the other. Is that not what love is all about. I'm grateful for the love and friendship they share..even on the days they and some of the choices they make drive me absolutely nuts.

So there you go, Addi, and Ethan, hope you took the time to read this post...you asked for it!

Here's to 2010 - let the competition continue! Woo hoo!